Today's News

It all began back in 2002 when I first started writing this column. I’d been playing golf for years and writing for magazines and newspapers for years. That year, my two favorite things merged and suddenly I was a golf columnist for the Brunswick Beacon.

Those are the time-appropriate words spoken by my Grandpa Mac. He grew up in the Mississippi woods, and I’m quite sure there was some form of sanctioned catfish racing. And you may well imagine, you had better be ready when standing in the starting blocks of a catfish race.

Fall fishing is here, and that means for Brunswick County anglers it is time to gather bait and head to the water. The change in the weather became apparent last weekend when the first real cold front moved through and fall officially arrives tomorrow.
Reports are good for redfish and flounder, and there have been some spot runs on our local piers. Most encouraging, some nice speckled trout have been caught after a long summer when they were mostly absent.

BY COURTNEY McGARRY
SPECIAL TO THE BEACON
Chad McCumbee didn’t get what he wanted Saturday at the Salem Speedway, but he got what his ModSpace team needed.
A ninth-place finish in the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers Fall Classic by Federated Car Care was enough to clinch the Bill France Four Crown title for McCumbee and Andy Belmont Racing.

Arts council seeks applications
Brunswick Arts Council is accepting applications through Oct. 1 for its 11th annual fall exhibition Oct. 17-29 at Franklin Square Gallery.
A reception is open to the public from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23.
All Brunswick County residents 18 years and older submitting two-dimensional, three-dimensional and photography or members of Brunswick Arts Council, Oak Island Art Guild, Associated Artists of Southport, Waterway Art Association and Coastal Camera Club, are eligible to enter.

Help Bolivia school win contest
Bolivia Elementary School has been in heated competition with schools nationwide since July 15. The Paper Mate Company, through Facebook, is offering three schools throughout the country an opportunity to win $10,000.00 in Paper Mate supplies.

Each year, Communities in Schools of Brunswick County Inc. (CIS) awards $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors at each of the county’s five high schools. Last year, 22 students received help with their tuition and nine were the first in their families to attend college. The total amount of scholarships awarded by CIS was more than $83,000.

“What’s your favorite subject?” is a common question posed to children and most times the answer comes back resoundingly, “P.E!” We all know math, reading and science are all very important for developing life skills in children, but so is that favorite subject: health and physical education.

At the foot of the Alps, only an hour north of Milan, Italy, rests the alpine, lakeside village of Stresa. This town was one of only a few that created a memorial for all of the victims of Sept. 11. It was built and dedicated on Nov. 11, 2001, exactly 60 days after the events in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.
A group of five couples from Sea Trail in Sunset Beach and two more couples, friends from Ohio and Rhode Island, traveling in northern Italy, were invited to attend the ceremony to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Church plans fall festival
Brunswick Island Baptist Church, 1672 Mount Pisgah Road, Supply, will have a fall festival from noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24.
There will be a dunk tank, a rock wall, inflatables, midway games, free cotton candy and hot dogs. Several bands will perform throughout the afternoon and the youth group will have a fundraising bake sale.